The Enforcer
by Chanel101
Summary: Serena is back in another story only this time she's a single mother who is struggling to raise her 13 year old son, Eric. Eric has done nothing but cause trouble for his mother and she's at a loss for what to do. What happens when Eric goes too far and is spotted by Mark Calaway, the owner of a boot camp in Houston. Will he be able to shape up her son before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

**Readers: **This story won't be updated until I'm finished with The Unknown hero, but feel free to leave me some reviews about the introduction =) I do NOT Own any WWE characters!

**Introduction**

"Eric how many times have I told you not to smoke?" I asked my 13 year old son when he came home from school.

He rolled his eyes and sighed, "Mom all the other kids do it, and Jack says it's cool!"

I sighed to myself as I looked at him. This was the fifth time in a week that I'd caught him smoking, but it was everyday that I had to yell at him about something else.

My name is Serena. I'm 29 years old living in Austin, Texas. I'm sure some of you are doing the math so to make the long story short; I had my son at 16 years old. I was madly in love with his father, Andre and of course you know where that led. My mother and father were pretty angry with me the day I told them, but neither of them wanted me to get rid of him. It was tough being in school, working, and taking care of my son, but I had Andre there to help.

Unfortunately for us, Andre died in a car accident when Eric was three so I was left with him. I had plenty of support from my family when it came to raising Eric but ever since he was old enough to talk, he had been a problem child.

In first grade the problem was not listening to his teachers, in third grade it was bullying, and now here he is in seventh grade and he's a complete tyrant. He had been in three fights, suspended, and even placed in detention multiple times. So far I've had to put him three different schools and things haven't gotten better. I found myself crying every night because I knew I needed help with him, but I didn't know where to turn. I've even had nightmares about the places he could end up, including his own funeral. That was the last thing I wanted to see in his future.

"Eric you're grounded, now go to your room." I said.

"No! How about you go to your room and leave me the hell alone!" he shouted.

I closed my eyes as he snatched his cigarettes from me and ran out the door. I sighed and sat down on the couch unable to understand why he acted so terribly. Was it because of something I did? Was he being bullied in school? I didn't know…but I wished there was someone who could help me out with him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch. 1**

I didn't know where my son had gone after that encounter. I was up until almost midnight waiting for him to return and with each passing hour I became more worried and frustrated. He had never pulled anything like this before which led me to believe that he was getting so much worse. I finally decided to give up and go to bed. I unlocked the front door and headed to my room in hopes that he would come home safely the next morning. I would have called the police but the law clearly stated that I couldn't report him missing for another 24 hours. I went to my room and brushed my hair thinking about my troubled little boy. I felt as though nothing I did would help anymore. I tried yelling, grounding him, taking things from him, and yet he was still disrespecting me.

My best friend Rachel, who is his godmother, had even tried taking him for a few days and he did nothing but give her hell. I ended up having to go get him the very first day because he was hitting her daughter, Elliana. Now I know kids hit sometimes, but Eric had hit her so bad that she had bruises on her face, back, and legs. I felt extremely terrible but Rachel assured me that she would be ok. Sometimes I wondered if hitting him would help. I never raised my hand to him for the simple fact that I loved him too much to physically hurt him. But it looked as though I was going to have to try it.

I laid down in my bed and looked up at the ceiling. I grabbed the little cross that hung from my neck on a gold chain and began to pray.

"Heavenly Father, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm trying everything my parents used on me and yet, my son continues to get worse. Please show me what to do with this situation. I really feel like I've done all I can. Amen."

A small tear fell from my eye before I reached over and turned off the light. I fell asleep for maybe an hour before a knock at my front door woke me up. I turned on my light and put on my robe before heading downstairs to answer the door. I saw red and blue lights flashing from my living room windows and my heart dropped. I dashed to the front door and threw it open.

"Hello are you Miss. Davenport?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yes sir I am, is my son ok?"

The chief nodded, "He's alright ma'am but I'm afraid he's in a little bit of trouble."

I sighed with relief knowing he was ok but I was so angry that his trouble had been bumped up to the next level.

"We need you to come down to the station ma'am. We'll explain everything when we get there."

I nodded and closed my door so I could run upstairs and change. I sent Rachel a quick text letting her know that the police picked up my son and that I was on my way to the station. After that I threw on some grey sweat pants and a short sleeved v-neck t-shirt that hugged my body tight. I brushed my hair and slipped on my flip flops before grabbing my purse and heading out of the house. The chief got in his car once I stepped outside and locked my front door. I so wasn't ready for any of this. The entire drive down there had to be the most gut wrenching moment of my life. I never once thought that Eric would get this bad.

When I made it to the station, they took me into a room where my son sat at a table in handcuffs. Behind him stood a detective and a police officer I knew to be Rachel's husband Leon. Leon was Andre's best friend and is my son's godfather. I wondered how he felt walking into this room and seeing his godson sitting there. He shifted where he stood knowing how I must be feeling.

Across from him was a much bigger man who didn't look like he was in a good mood. He had real short black hair and a red bandana tied around his head. There were many tattoos all over his strong arms and a cold look on his face. His green eyes seem to pierce my son's flesh as he stared at him. He didn't turn and look at me until Eric glanced in my direction. For a split second the man's face seemed to soften upon a look at me but it returned to that same cold look once the chief of police walked in behind me.

"Miss. Davenport will you please have a seat next to your son." The chief said.

I sighed and pulled out the chair knowing that this wasn't going to be good. The big guy leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his massive chest while the chief took a seat at the head of the table. I folded my arms and glanced at my son hoping this wasn't as bad as it looked.

"Ok Miss. Davenport, first let me introduce my detective Mr. Kincaid and Officer Ramirez says he knows you already."

I glanced at Mr. Kincaid as he stepped forward and shook my hand. "Nice to meet you,"

"And this is Mr. Calaway," the chief said as he glanced at the tough guy sitting across from my son and I.

"Hello there." I said to the man who didn't even glance at me.

The chief sighed and then got to the point, "Miss. Davenport, the reason you were called here tonight was because your son and Jack Nicolson were caught breaking and entering into Mr. Calaway's home."

I chuckled, "Excuse me?"

"You heard the man," Mr. Calaway snapped. "Your boy and his punk friend broke into my house and stole quite a lot of stuff from me right Eric?"

Eric sniffed, "Whatever man, you got your stuff back."

"Yeah, but it's real sad that a couple of kids like you and your friend really thought you were going to get away with it."

"Calm down Mr. Calaway," Leon said, sensing that I was uncomfortable.

The big guy glanced at him, "And what are you going to do about it if I don't?"

"Mr. Calaway please. We don't want to arrest you for disturbing the peace. So please calm down." The chief said before turning back to me. "Miss. Davenport, because your son is a minor and this is his first offense we were thinking about giving him house arrest for a year and then probation."

"House arrest!" Eric snapped, "You guys aren't doing that to me!"

I glared at him, "Eric be quiet,"

"You shut up bitch! I don't even know why you're down here you aren't making things better!"

Before I could say anything the big guy reached across the table and gripped my son by the front of his shirt. He then yanked him halfway across the table so that he was face to face with him.

"If you ever talk to your mother like that again I'll rip your tongue right out of your throat little boy!"

"Let me go!" Eric yelled.

"Mr. Calaway! Please release the boy! I don't want to have to taze you." The chief said.

I looked at the guy in shock as he gently released my son, letting him fall back into his seat. The man then glanced at me with a hard look on his face. "Does he always disrespect you like that?"

I dropped my gaze and then Leon sighed, "He sure does."

The man nodded and then looked at the chief, "I don't want to press charges…I want to teach him a lesson myself."

The chief raised his eyebrow, "Well that wouldn't be up to me sir, you'd have to talk to the mother on that one. My work here is done if you aren't pressing charges."

The man glanced back at me with a softened expression, "I'll tell you what, I'll agree to not press charges, if you put your son through my boot camp program."

I trembled at that thought. This man wasn't messing around and seemed like he would kill my son if he had the chance. Something in me wanted to say no, but my heart was telling me that this would be a smart move. I had tried everything else except this.

"Mom please, I'll straighten up if you don't send me there!" Eric whined.

I glanced at him, "You've said that one million times Eric, how am I supposed to know you're being serious?"

He was about to say something else when Leon stepped in, "Send him there Serena. It'll teach him a lesson."

I sighed and looked at my son and then at the big guy, "Can I speak to you alone?"

"Sure." He said before following me out into a room that was next to it. There was a two-way mirror where I could see my son and the others sitting there. I stood next to the mirror and looked into the big guy's eyes.

"How can I be sure this will work?" I asked.

He chuckled, "It'll work trust me. Your son is no different from the other boys in my camp. He just needs to learn discipline and respect."

I nodded and glanced through the mirror at him. Mr. Calaway leaned his head to the side searching for something in me.

"His father isn't around is he Serena?" he asked.

I shook my head as tears fell from my eyes, "He died when Eric was three. I've been alone with him ever since."

"Just as I thought, it looks like you both need some straightening up to do."

I raised my eyebrow at him, "What do you mean?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, "Bring your son to my camp in Houston, Texas tomorrow morning at 6am. Pack a lot of clothes for the both of you because you'll be staying there too."

I shook my head, "I've got to work. I have bills to pay for my house."

"I'll handle all of that, just do as I say and I promise you won't regret it." he said.

I rubbed my arms and looked at my son, "Ok. Just write down the address and we'll be there."

He nodded, "Good."

I didn't know much about this man, but I could tell that he was about to turn our lives upside down. When we were done talking to the police, Mr. Calaway got a piece of paper and wrote down his information for me. He then glared at my son and said, "I'll see you at 6 am maggot."

"Maggot? My name is Eric!" my son snapped.

"I don't give a damn what your name is. From here on out, I'm going to make sure you learn the word respect."

My son rolled his eyes as Mr. Calaway looked at me and nodded, "Go home and get some sleep."

I nodded and grabbed my son by his forearm, "Get your ass in the car."

He snatched his arm away from me and walked out the door with a smug look on his face. I sure hoped that this boot camp was the answer to my prayers because I was at a loss with this situation.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch 2**

Things were pretty silent between Eric and I that night. I was half expecting him to beg me not to go to Mr. Calaway's camp tomorrow, but I got absolutely nothing out of him. When we got in the house, I went straight to his room and pulled out his suitcase. When he came around the corner, I was already in the process of packing his shit. He stood in the doorway with a look of complete disbelief on his face. I guess he didn't think I was serious about all this. When I was done packing his stuff I took the suitcase to my room and placed it next to my bed. I didn't want to risk him unpacking it during the night and then we'd be late in the morning. I set my alarm clock for 4 o'clock before packing my own stuff. I gritted my teeth when I glanced at the clock and saw that it was already 2:45am. With a sigh, I decided to put on my shorts and t-shirt for the next day and then laid down for the last hour.

The drive down to Houston wasn't as quiet as the drive home from the police station. Since Rachel was up early to get ready for work I gave her a call so I wouldn't feel awkward being in silence.

"Hey girl, Leon told me what happened at the station." She said.

I sighed, "Yeah, I'm on my way to Houston right now."

"Do you think this will work?" she asked.

"I sure hope so because I've reached my boiling point already." I said as I glared at my son who had on his headphones. "I hope this Calaway guy can really straighten him out."

"He probably can. Leon was telling me how he gripped him up in the interrogation room. I can't believe he called you a bitch." She said.

"Trust me I can't believe that either. His father was nothing like him." I said as I fought back tears.

"No he wasn't, but don't you worry girl. I've got you and Eric in my prayers." She said. "Things will work out you'll see."

I took a deep breath and glanced at the approaching city of Houston, "Thanks girl. You have a nice day at work."

"Oh I will girl, make sure you keep me updated on things." She said.

"You know I will." I said with a smile. "Love you girl, and thanks for all your help."

"No problem boo, love you too." She said.

When we were done talking I hung up my cell phone and then followed my GPS all the way to the camp. At first I wasn't too sure about it being a camp because I only saw a large ranch style house, but as we got closer, I saw another building not too far from the house that had to be where the other boys stayed.

I pulled up in front of the house and parked my car.

"We're here." I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt and then pulled the headphones off of Eric's head.

"What the hell man!" he yelled as I got out the car with them in my hands.

"Let's go Eric." I said sharply before closing my door and then going to the back of the car to open the trunk.

"I'm not getting out." Eric said. "If that guy wants me out of this car he'll have to come out here and get me!"

I rolled my eyes as I pulled my suitcase out of the trunk. "Eric please, just get out of the car. I'm not taking you back home until you've learned your lesson."

"Did you not hear what I said? I'm…not…getting…out…of…the…car!" he yelled.

I shook my head and carried my suitcase up to the porch. Before I could knock, the front door swung open. I came face to face with Mr. Calaway who was wearing some army pants with big black combat boots, and a green beater. There was a brown bandana tied around his head and dog tags hanging from around his neck. I backed up from the door as he opened up the screen door and stepped out onto the porch.

"Good morning." He said firmly. "I trust your drive here wasn't too bad."

I shook my head, "No it wasn't…"

He narrowed his eyes and looked around until his eyes landed on my car. "And why is he still in the car?"

"He refused to get out." I said.

"And you let him stay there?" he asked.

I glanced back at the car, "I asked him twice but he just keeps saying that he isn't getting out of the car. And he added that if you wanted him out, then come get him."

He chuckled and shook his head, "That boy of yours is something else but I hope he knows that I take things like that very seriously."

I bit my tongue, knowing that this man was probably going to break my child into one million pieces soon. He cracked his knuckles and then gently grabbed my chin.

"What?" I asked as he closely examined my face. "Go in the house and get some rest. You haven't had a full 8 hours of sleep in a long time."

I shook my head, "no I'm fine really,"

He sighed, "First rule of my camp is to do as the Sergeant says…and since I'm the Sergeant…that means go get some sleep missy."

I froze at the tone of his voice. This man meant business. I nodded and picked up my suitcase, but he knocked it out of my hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Rule number 2, the men do the tough work around here." He said before holding his hand out, "Keys please."

I wasted no time handing over my car keys. I wanted to see just what he had in store for my son. Eric tensed in the car when Mr. Calaway walked towards the car and opened the door.

"Now look here boy, I'm going to give you 2 seconds to get your ass out of this car, or you will be sorry…" he said.

Eric laughed, "Whatever man, you're all-"

Before Eric could say anything else, Mr. Calaway reached into the car and yanked him right out of the seat. He held him by his shirt while he shut the door and then locked it. He then dragged him to the back of the car and dropped him in front of the trunk.

"Get your bag boy, and then grab your mother's when you get to the porch." He said firmly.

Eric looked at him and then at me, "Mom! You're not seriously going to let this jerk tell me what to do!"

Before I could answer, Mr. Calaway shoved Eric's head down into the trunk and yelled, "First of all, when you're on my land, you will address me as Sergeant Calaway or sir! Your mother brought you here for a reason boy and you will do as I say! Do you understand me?"

I folded my arms as I waited for Eric's answer. He gritted his teeth and then said, "Yes."

"Yes what maggot?"

"Yes sir." Eric said in a low tone of voice.

Sergeant Calaway laughed, "I can't hear you!"

"Yes sir," Eric said a little louder but it wasn't good enough for Mr. Calaway.

"It looks like you didn't give birth to a boy or a man Serena, this here is a little girl!"

Eric's eyes widened, "I'm not a girl!"

"You do not speak unless you are spoken to!" he yelled. "Now grab those bags or else!"

I watched as Eric grudgingly grabbed his suitcase and yanked it from the car. He then walked up to the porch and grabbed my bag before following Mr. Calaway into the house. I followed behind them taking a good look at the house as I did so. He had a very beautiful set up, with perfectly polished floors and sandy colored walls.

He led us upstairs to where the guest rooms were and told Eric to leave my bag in the room with purple colored walls.

"Where is my room at?" Eric asked.

Mr. Calaway narrowed his eyes, "What part of speak unless you're spoken to didn't you understand?"

Eric rolled his eyes and received a quick slap in the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Eric just do as he says." I said. "You didn't want to listen to me all these years so it's time you dealt with someone else other than me."

He sighed before Mr. Calaway made him pick up his bag again. "Meet me downstairs…you aren't sleeping in this house."

"What! Are you kidding me!" Eric yelled.

"No I'm not kidding you little girl!"

"I'm not a little girl!" Eric screamed.

Mr. Calaway smirked, "It's not fun being called something you're not right?"

"Well no!" he said.

"So why do you call your mom out of her name? She's your mother, not your bitch! No go downstairs and wait!"

Eric grabbed his bag and made his way back downstairs. As hard as it was to watch another man tell my son what to do, it was nice to not have to deal with him. Mr. Calaway looked back at me with a soft expression. "And as for you, just call me Mark. Get some rest and I'll wake you for breakfast."

I rubbed my arm and then nodded, "Ok…sir."

He nodded and headed out of the room, shutting the door behind him. I didn't know what to expect from all of this, but I sure hoped that my son would be alive once I woke up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch 3**

Sleeping in that bed was probably the best thing in the world. I slept up until eleven o'clock before getting out of bed. I stretched out my arms over my head and then made my way over to the window to look at the gorgeous scenery.

The yard was very well taken care of with freshly cut grass and tall trees off in the distance. I wished there were flowers or something, but I had to remember that this place was a camp for little boys. I folded my arms before spotting a group of young boys running from the small house that was about a football field's length from the house I was in. They were all dressed in green t-shirts and army pants like their Sergeant, Mark. He was following close behind them yelling orders to keep them moving. There were four boys, two of which were Jack and my son, Eric. The other two were a little taller than Jack and Eric and wore looks of determination on their face. One had brown hair and the other had red. They were both kind of skinny, but had strong arms and legs. They ran ahead of Eric and Jack who looked tired out of their mind.

I sighed and headed out of my room, wanting to get a closer look at things. I made sure to reexamine the house so I knew where everything was. I stopped in the kitchen for a glass of water before heading outside on the porch. The boys were just coming around the house when I sat down on the steps. I watched as they all stopped and formed a line in front of me. Mark came around the corner and blew his whistle.

"How are you guys feeling? Have you had enough?" he asked.

My son didn't budge and neither did the other two boys. Jack however bent over and placed his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "I know I have."

Mark stopped next to him and laughed, "You've only been here five hours and you're tired of this already?"

"Yes I am!" Jack shouted.

Mark growled and shoved Jack to the ground. I gasped a little when his body thudded against the ground. Why was he being so rough with them?

He walked up to Jack and said, "Give me 20."

"What?" Jack asked. "For being tired?"

Mark's eyes narrowed, "No, for speaking when you weren't directly spoken to! Now give me 20!"

I looked at Jack wondering if he truly deserved that punishment. I wanted to speak up but something in me wouldn't let that happen. I dropped my gaze as the boy got in his push up position and started going at it.

Mark then turned towards the other boys with his hands behind his back, looking at them with that tough cold look. "The rest of you seem to learn things fast…and because of that, I'll give you ten minutes for a break. When you're done, you come back here. Go!"

The three boys sighed with relief before heading inside of the house. When Jack was done with his push-ups he was sent to the garage to start cleaning the motorcycles. I guess Mark didn't think he deserved a break since he talked back to him. Maybe that was one of the problem's with my parenting skills…I was too easy on Eric. I'd tell him to stay in the house but he would simply leave and I wouldn't even bother to stop him.

"How did you sleep?" he asked me once Jack was out of sight.

I nodded, "Pretty good actually…"

"Good." He said as he took a few steps towards me. "You seem troubled."

I glanced at him for a split second and then dropped my gaze, "Oh I'm ok…"

"You're lying. And I do not like lying in my camp Serena." He said.

I sat my glass of water down next to me and folded my arms, "I just think you're a little tough on the boys…"

He raised his eyebrow at me and took one more step towards me. "Look at me woman."

I looked up at him trying to find some way to stare anywhere except his eyes.

"Being soft…is why your son acts the way he does. You need to learn to be tougher Serena, and until you figure out how, your son will continue to walk all over you."

I shook my head, "I'm not that soft on him."

"Clearly you are." He snapped. "The boy has absolutely no respect for you and it's simply because you are too weak to stand up to him."

I felt my blood boiling. No one had ever called me weak before or better yet told me how to raise my child. I grabbed my water and got up to walk into the house. "I'm going inside; I don't need to listen to this."

"But you do Serena…you really do."

I didn't bother to turn around and face him again. I went into the house and sat down in the living room. Andre was on my mind. I wanted him here to hold and comfort me, but he was gone. A tear fell from my eye as I pulled my legs up onto the couch and wrapped my arms around them. I was beginning to wonder if coming here was a mistake.

After the boys went back outside, I went upstairs to call Rachel on my cell phone. I walked into the room and went to grab it when I realized it wasn't there. Thinking I didn't take it out of my purse I picked it up and looked through it but it wasn't there either. I tossed my purse on the bed and went downstairs to see if I might have left it somewhere in the house, but it was nowhere to be found. I finally decided to head to the garage to ask Mark what he had done with it. Upon getting there, I saw him standing at the entrance watching the boys clean motorcycles. I unfolded my arms and tapped his shoulder.

"You're not getting it back." He said before I could even ask.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He glared at me, "You're not getting it back."

"And why not?" I asked.

"Because you need to focus on your child and becoming a better mother." He said.

"Um excuse me but I'm not a child. I'm a grown ass woman who happens to pay her own phone bill." I snapped.

He turned towards me and got in my face. "Yea, you might pay the bill but when the damn thing comes between you and your focus, it needs to be eliminated."

I shook my head, "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Of course I do, and that's why you and your son are here." He said. "Now if you don't mind, you're causing a scene and it's starting to piss me off."

"Give me back my phone and you won't have a scene." I said.

He stared at me for a moment and then cracked a smile, "See, now if you would use that attitude towards your child more often you would get your point across…"

I glared at him with so much animosity in my heart but it wasn't enough to make me snap out. I sighed and went back into the house hoping that this would all be over soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Readers: **This will be updated tonight! Can't wait to see what you all think!

**Ch 4**

I spent the rest of the day completely ignoring Mark and his antics. I couldn't believe he was about to put me through hell just like he was doing my son. I was in the kitchen later on that day and I happened to glance out the window to see what he was up to next. I saw Mark arguing with my son who definitely wasn't backing down. I wanted to go out there and take control of the situation, but I knew Mark wouldn't let that happen. I sighed and started looking for something to cook. I figured the boys would be hungry after all their working and dealing with Mark.

I looked around the kitchen for what seemed like hours before realizing there was no food in the entire house. All he had was bottles of water and a few bags of fruit. I slammed the door shut wondering how he could run a place like this with no food. I folded my arms and went back outside to find him. He was just outside with the boys, giving them some speech when I came out.

I put my hands on my hips and interrupted him. "Um where is all the food?"

He stopped mid-sentence and turned around slowly. "Maybe you didn't notice but I'm talking to these boys…now run along and watch TV or something."

That was it, I shook my head and chuckled, "Ok, you know what, Eric get your stuff, we're leaving."

Eric smiled and went to leave the line, when Mark swung and back handed him across the face. I gasped in shock as my son hit the ground hard.

"Have you lost your mind!" I screamed as I walked up to Mark.

He reached down and picked my son up, shoving him back in line. "You were told not to move unless _I _tell you otherwise."

I walked around the large man and stood face to face with him. "And the last time I checked you didn't help make him!"

He chuckled, "I may not be his father but this is my damn camp girly. You brought him here to get straightened out and by trying to take him home you've proven your weakness yet again."

I dropped my gaze, "Starving them isn't making them strong. Now where is all your food?"

He sighed and looked over my head at the boys, "Go on to your rooms…there is food for you guys in the refrigerator in the house where you stay. But do not eat it all! You need to make it last for a week. Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" They yelled in unison.

I turned and looked at my son, feeling so helpless when it came to getting him out of this. His nose was bleeding and I felt my maternal instincts kicking in. I turned around slowly to face Mark finding him glaring at me with a cold look.

"Me and you...kitchen…now!" He said before turning on his heels and walking into the house. I rolled my eyes and followed him with my arms folded tight under my breasts. Who did this maniac think he was? I mean I had just about had it with his attitude and the way he treated those boys.

When I got into the kitchen, he was facing the sink, leaning over it like he was tired. I simply leaned against the wall waiting on him to say something but he never did. I was wondering what he was waiting on so I walked up to the table and took a seat. When I sat down, he sighed and turned around to face me. I glared into his eyes, trying to put on the façade that I was tough.

He glared back at me and then slowly walked around the table until he was standing over me. I tried to keep my breathing even but fear was starting to take over. Before I could even say something, his hand was around my throat squeezing the life out of me. I reached up and grabbed his arm with both hands, trying to pull him free from me, but it was no use. He then lifted me from the chair and slammed me against the wall. His face came close to mine, showing a much more serious look that made me want to piss myself.

"Listen to me little girl…if you ever in your life try to embarrass me in front of those boys again, I'll make sure your son ends up in juvenile where he belongs! Do you understand me?"

I glared at him with so much fear in my heart. I didn't understand how a man of his stature could put his hands on me like this. The man who was supposed to be helping other young boys to become better men, was also the one choking the life out of me. In some ways he was reminding me of my own son whenever he disobeyed me. Eric always wore a cold look like that one, and it broke my heart to see it in someone that was supposed to be setting him straight. My bottom lip trembled as tears filled my eyes.

"P-Please let me go." I whispered.

Suddenly, the once hard look on his face, began to vanish. His eyes became softer along with his grip on me. I felt my body being lowered to the ground as he backed away from me, looking at me with a blank stare. I placed my hands around my neck, trying to sooth the pain I felt as tears fell from my eyes.

"Go to your room." He said flatly. "I'll bring you some food shortly."

I didn't even want to listen to him, I wanted to get my things, take my son, and leave the camp. I cried harder as I headed upstairs, feeling more scared to be there than ever before.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch 5**

I laid in my bed squeezing a pillow in my arms. I had no idea what to do about Mark or if I should even stay there. I wiped a tear from my face as I let the thoughts run through my mind. If I left I knew raising Eric would be even harder especially if Mark decided to press charges. On the other hand, staying would or could help me and Eric in the long run. I sat up and leaned against the headboard trying to calm my nerves down, but that didn't help since I hadn't eaten yet. My prayers were answered just a moment later when Mark knocked at my door. I didn't want to answer it at first, but I didn't want to piss him off again.

I cleared my throat and spoke softly. "Come in."

The door slowly opened before Mark walked in. He was carrying a tray with hot Chinese food on a plate and a glass of orange juice. He sighed and carefully handed me the tray before taking a seat on the bed. I glared at him wondering what he was doing. I didn't need him to sit and watch me eat but I didn't feel like arguing with him either.

He relaxed himself, and then turned and looked at me. "I don't have any food in my house…because I can't cook."

I looked up at him finding the tone of his voice to be rather interesting. It wasn't the same cold hearted tone he used on the boys, nor was it completely calm.

"I was married once, and my wife use to do all the cooking." He said.

I nodded and took a bite of my food. "What happened to your wife?"

He glared at me with a guarded look before relaxing again. "She's dead."

I stopped chewing and looked away from him, "Oh…I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. Anyways…I'm sorry for scaring you like that…I've never actually done that to a woman before." He said as he glanced into my eyes.

I wanted to tell him it was ok, but truly it wasn't. I sighed and sat my fork down before taking a sip of my orange juice. He looked away from me and then got up from the bed.

"Be up early tomorrow. I'd like to speak with you and Eric in the living room." He said.

I nodded, "No problem."

Without another word he left the room, shutting my door quietly. I ate my food somewhat quickly, enjoying the awesome flavors of my Chinese food. When I was done, I got up and pulled out my pajamas and shower gel. I figured a nice hot shower would be a good idea since I was so stressed out and my neck still hurt.

I gathered all my stuff together and went to my door. Upon opening it up, I came face to face with Mark who was coming out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel. I looked at him in complete shock as water droplets glistened all over his upper torso making his body shine. When I realized I had been staring for too long I gasped and turned away, "Oh my gosh,"

He chuckled, "Oh please, don't tell me the sight of a half naked man bothers you?"

I rolled my eyes, "No, it only does when the man isn't someone I'm dating…"

He laughed and stepped out of the bathroom, "Oh. Well I apologize. The bathroom is all yours."

I waited for him to walk down the hall to his room before turning around to go into the bathroom. As I stood in the shower the constant flash of Mark's body clouded my head. I wanted to shoot myself for looking at him like a little girl with a crush. Then again, the man was pretty good looking like that…

After my shower I went back to my room and blow-dried my hair. I noticed that my glass of orange juice was still sitting on the nightstand so, I drank it once I was done with my hair. As soon as I finished it, I felt extremely drowsy so I turned off my light and laid down in my bed. I figured Mark probably gave me something to help me sleep. Good. I needed to rest in order to help relax myself before the chat I was going to have with Mark and my son.

**Next Morning**

"What's this all about?" I asked as I took a seat on the couch that next morning.

Eric was sitting on a chair adjacent to me and Mark was standing across from the coffee table in front of me. He took a deep breath and sighed, "Eric there is something I need to tell you."

My son glanced at Mark with a blank stare. "Yes sir?"

Mark bowed his head for a moment and then looked straight at Eric. "Yesterday I put my hands on your mother."

Eric gasped and stood up, "You did what! Mom why didn't you tell me?"

I went to say something but Mark held his hand up, "I didn't hurt her Eric. I did it because I needed to see something…"

"See what? You put your freaking hands on my mom man!" he yelled. "If my dad was here he'd kick your ass!"

"Eric!" I screamed, "Sit down!"

He glared at me as if he wanted to say something smart but with one glance at Mark he backed up and sat down.

Mark sighed and put his hands behind his back. "Do you see the emotion you're feeling when I told you that?"

Eric nodded, "Yes sir,"

"That's how your mother feels every time you disobey her or talk back to her." He said.

Eric glanced at me and then back at Mark. I was finally beginning to understand Mark's methods and why he wanted me at the camp.

"You wouldn't like it if I truly hurt your mother or if any man hurt your mother would you?"

Eric shook his head, "No sir."

"Then why do you choose to do it? Your mother works hard to put food on your table, keep a roof over your head, put clothes on your back, and she's doing it all by herself. Just think that every time you've hurt her…it could have been someone else."

I watched as Eric balled up his fists. "Stop it."

"Imagine all the times you've put a cigarette to your lips and your mom has caught you. Now imagine the pain she felt every time that happened."

"Knock it off!" Eric said. "I get your point already!"

Mark shook his head, "No you don't Eric. If you did, then your entire attitude would be different right now. I'm betting that if I sent you home right now, you'd go right back to the way you were."

Eric chuckled, "Yeah maybe. But what's it to you? It's not like you're someone who truly cares."

"If he didn't care he wouldn't have suggested bringing you here." I blurted out.

Mark looked at me with a smirk, "You're right Serena."

Eric rolled his eyes, "whatever."

"Whatever? You know I don't know about you but where I come from, "whatever" is a polite way of saying fuck you…"

Eric's eyes widened, "W-wait, I didn't mean it that way!"

Mark shook his head, "Yes you did, and because of that, I want you to go in that kitchen and start mopping the floors."

He raised his eyebrow, "That's a woman's job."

Mark nodded, "Alright, then go clean the bathrooms…and I want them toilets sparkling little boy!"

Eric sighed and took off upstairs. I watched him leave before turning to face Mark, whose eyes were already on me.

"You spoke up…I'm proud of you." He said.

I nodded, "Thanks."

"I've decided to change things up a little bit. I sent all the other boys to other boot camps in the area for starters."

I blinked a few times, "Why?"

"Because you and Eric need time alone with me. I realized last night that you two share the same emotions and it comes from the fact that his father isn't around." He said.

I smiled at first and then tears filled my eyes. "How could you tell?"

He stared at me for a moment and then came and sat down on the couch. "I saw it in your eyes when I scared you….it's the same look you had when Eric called you a bitch in the police station. I don't know if you know this, but your son has that look anytime someone else is hurting you."

I sniffled and wiped tears from my face. "No I haven't noticed."

He turned towards me and placed his hand on mine. I looked into his eyes and saw his Will to help me and my son. It was the first time in a long time I could say that someone wasn't about to give up on me.

"Serena, you and your son are both hurting from the same thing. He's showing it through his disrespect, and you show it with your attempts to punish him." He said. "I can't promise that I'll be able to fill the hole that's missing in your hearts but I can damn sure patch it up."

I giggled at his analogy. "That sounds like a plan."

"Good, but you've got to promise me one thing." He said. "Stay strong and don't be afraid to stand up to your child. Eric thinks he can run you, but you have to show him that _you_ are the parent. Not him."

I nodded, "Ok I think I can do that."

"Don't think it sweetie, _know it._" he said as he squeezed my hand.

I smiled before he got up to go check on Eric. I could tell that this was going to be way different than how it started and that maybe Eric and I had a shot at changing after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ch 6**

"Is this clean enough?" Eric asked Mark for the third time. He had been cleaning the bathrooms now for an hour and a half and I could tell his arms were hurting.

Mark walked into the bathroom and looked at every single detail. "Looks good little man. Nice job."

Eric sighed with relief before looking at me. "I'm hungry."

I glanced at Mark wondering what food we were going to being eating that day. He looked over his shoulder at me and then dug into his pocket and pulled out six $50 bills. My eyes widened wondering where he got that type of money. He turned to me and said, "Here, take this."

I was somewhat trembling as I took the money from his hand. I had never held that much of it at once and it felt nice.

"Good to the nearest grocery store and buy whatever you need to cook." He said.

I raised my eyebrow at him, "And you're not coming?"

"Do I need to?" he said.

I giggled, "Well I don't exactly know what you like Mark so, it would be nice if you came along."

He looked at me with curiosity on his face. "Strange, my wife never let me come with her whenever she went out for groceries."

"Really? Well today is your lucky day pal." I said as I turned around and headed to my room to get my car keys. "Be ready in 5 minutes boys."

"Boys? _Boys?" _Mark said. "Who in the hell is she calling a boy?"

Eric laughed, "I think she's talking to both of us."

Mark chuckled, "Well excuse me then…"

I laughed to myself as I listened to Mark and Eric exchange words. It was nice to hear my son actually holding some type of conversation without freaking out on someone or getting on their nerves.

I picked up my purse and keys before heading back out into the hallway. Eric, who now had his own room in the house, was putting on his shoes when I walked past. Mark was still in the hallway, giving me a look because of my previous comment. I simply giggled and headed down the steps, ready to go grocery shopping.

By the time I got in the car, Mark and Eric had came out of the house together. Eric ran and was about to hop in the front seat when Mark gave him a little shove to get in the back.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Eric asked.

Mark narrowed his eyes, "I'm an adult, therefore I'm riding in the front seat."

"Yeah but this is my mom's car, so you ride in the back buddy." Eric said.

Mark sighed and leaned against the car, "Let's rock, paper, scissors, for it."

I shook my head, "Guys are you serious right now?"

"Yes!" they said at the same time.

I shook my head as they went at their little battle. I mean honestly it was just a front seat right? When they were done, Mark ended up having the front seat. Eric sighed and took the back seat although I could tell he wasn't too happy about it.

"Put your seatbelt on Eric." I said as I buckled myself in.

He glared at me, "We're just going down the street mom."

I froze and looked over my shoulder at him, "Yeah but you never know what could happen between here and there. Put it on now."

He rolled his eyes and slouched down in his seat. "I'm good."

"Eric don't make me ask you again. Put it on right now." I said in an even and firm tone.

"I said I'm good!" he yelled back. Before I could say anything else, Mark whipped around in his seat and glared at him.

"Eric, what did I tell you about the way you talk to your mom?"

He sighed, "I told her I was good though,"

"But what did _she _say?" he asked.

Eric glanced at me and sat up straight in his seat. "She said put it on."

"So what do you need to be doing?" he asked.

Without another word he reached for his seatbelt and got it in place. I started up the car and turned us around so we could head to the store.

"You see Eric, your mom doesn't tell you things because she wants to harass you. She only tells you so you can be safe."

I nodded, "He's right Eric and he's not just talking about the whole seatbelt situation, he's talking about everything else too."

Eric nodded, "I understand."

"Let me ask you something," Mark said as he turned down the radio. "why do you feel like you don't have to listen to your mom?"

I could see Eric shifting in his seat, "Well…I don't know…"

"Sure you do. If you didn't know then you would be listening to her more right?" he asked.

"Yeah I think."

"Then tell me why?" he said.

I smirked a little wondering what Eric's answer was going to be.

"It's because I've never gotten hurt before when I didn't listen to her. I mean I go out and hang with my friends-"

"-Who allow you to smoke and steal…" I cut in.

Mark's eyes widened, "You smoke too?"

Eric groaned, "I was hoping she didn't tell you that…"

"Well I was going to figure that out anyway man. Tell me, why do you smoke?"

He leaned his head back against the seat, "Because Jack says it's cool and I'll get noticed more by all the chicks."

Mark chuckled, "He's right about you getting noticed, but it's not by the chicks man. The police will notice you a lot quicker."

"Really?" Eric said. "Man I need a new friend."

Mark chuckled, "That's a good start little man and if you want I'll be your new friend."

I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Eric smile.

"That would be cool. But you have to play awesome video games first."

Mark glanced at me, "Only if you promise to make it through the rest of camp."

Eric sighed, "It's a deal."

The two of them nodded and then fell silent. I smiled and kept driving towards the store. When we got there, I watched Eric interacting with Mark and I wished he and I were that close. I knew Eric was upset with the fact that his father wasn't around, but really, what was I supposed to do about that? It wasn't my fault that his father had gotten drunk and hit another car head-on in a crash that killed him.

I stopped pushing the buggy as I thought about the night I got the phone call about Andre….

"Serena?" Mark said. "Are you alright?"

I shook out of my thoughts and nodded, "Oh I'm good. Just had something on my mind that's all."

Mark nodded and kept walking with me close behind. After our shopping we headed back to the house and got the stuff loaded into the kitchen. I must say, the place looked way better now that there was food in it. I quickly started cooking while the guys were in the living room talking. I ended up cooking some grilled chicken breasts with spinach and macaroni and cheese. I knew that was Eric's favorite dish and loved seeing his face light up when he came in the kitchen to eat.

"I take it you like this stuff." Mark asked him as he watched Eric fill his plate up.

"Oh yea, my mom is definitely the best cook." He said as he picked up his plate and took it to the table. "Trust me you'll love it."

Mark nodded and started filling his plate with some food before joining us at the table. I felt a little awkward eating dinner at the table since Eric was never in the house during dinner time before. It was quite a switch and I loved it.

"Mm, damn, this is good." Mark said with a smile. "You are a way better cook than my wife was."

I smiled, "Thanks."

Eric glanced at us both and then sat his fork down, "Hey mom?"

"Yeah?" I said.

He sighed a little and then sat up straight in his chair, "I'm really sorry about all the mean things I've done to you."

I froze for a second and looked at him, "You are?"

He nodded, "I am, honest. I've just been upset because I wish I had a dad around. I mean I've accepted that my real father is gone, but I feel like you could put someone in his place."

I smiled and a tear fell from my face, "That's funny. I didn't think you'd be ok with me dating anyone else Eric."

He chuckled, "Well I'm letting you know now."

"Alright, but I want you to understand something, if I ever do date again, you have to respect that person as if he was your father…got it?"

"Yes ma'am." He said.

I glanced at Mark who smiled back, "I think that's one hell of an improvement in both of you."

I giggled and finished eating before taking my plate and putting it in the sink. "Alright well I'm going upstairs for a little bit, let me know if you two need anything."

They nodded as I left the room. The moment I got to the middle of the steps I broke down into tears. I walked to my room and shut the door feeling happier than ever before.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch 7**

Later on that night after Eric and Mark went to bed, I got up and went downstairs to the kitchen for some juice. While I was down there I found myself crying again only this time I was thinking about Andre again. I walked to the living room and sat down on the couch, sniffling as I tried to stop myself from crying. I sat my glass down on the table and circled up into a ball, hiding my face in my knees. I wasn't sure how long I was sitting there before hearing Mark come down the steps.

I didn't want to look up at him but he came into the room and sat down on the couch with me.

"Serena, are you ok?" he asked

I sighed and lifted my head up. "Yeah I'm cool."

He shook his head, "No no, don't you lie to me….tell me what's going on."

I put my legs down and took a deep breath, "I was just thinking about the night Andre died. I always thought that Eric blamed me for it."

"Why?" he asked.

I looked away for a moment and then said softly, "A few hours before he died, we got into an argument about how he was raising Eric. He took him out with his friends and he was smoking weed around him. I got pissed off because Eric was also sick at the time and the smoke only made it worse."

He nodded, "That's when he left the house?"

I closed my eyes as tears began to build up. "Y-Yeah…I got a call about three hours later saying that he was drunk driving and hit someone head on…he died and so did the woman."

He sighed and pulled me in for a hug, "It's alright sweetie. It wasn't your fault."

I pulled away from him and wiped my eyes, "People tell me that all the time and yet I still feel guilty about it."

He fell silent for a moment and then sighed heavily, "Serena, I lost my wife the same way."

I gasped, "Oh my goodness, here I am crying about my boyfriend and your hurting too. You must think I'm selfish."

He laughed, "No not at all…I actually think it's destiny that we met each other."

"Really? How?" I asked.

He bit his bottom lip and then got up from the couch. I watched him as he went to a book stand and pulled out a folder. He opened it up and pulled out a newspaper article before returning to the couch. He looked into my eyes before handing me the article.

The headline read, "Local United States Drill Sergeant, Mark Calaway loses his wife in a head-on collision crash." I glanced at the picture of the woman and nearly gasped when I realized that it was the same woman that Andre hit…I looked up at Mark who now had tears in his eyes.

"Oh Mark…I'm so sorry." I said.

He shook his head, "No, I'm sorry."

I put down the paper and pulled him in for a hug. He squeezed me tightly as we cried together. I then found myself unable to cry any longer and instead I let him lay his head on my chest and cry. I rubbed his head feeling stronger than ever for some reason.

A few minutes later we decided to head out on the porch and chat for a little while. He told me all about his wife and how happy she made him at one point.

"It was the hair I think." He said, making me giggle. "No, maybe it was the sex."

"Oh my goodness." I said. "Well for me…Andre had a way with words."

He chuckled, "Clearly he did since he talked you right out of your panties."

I gasped, "You jerk!"

"Hey it's the truth though," he said.

I couldn't lie about that…Mark was definitely telling the truth. "Well I'm glad he did…"

"How come? Proud to be a mom?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah and if I wouldn't of had Eric I wouldn't have run into you."

He smiled and lowered his head, "Damn, I'm touched. It's been awhile since anyone's been able to do that."

I shook my head and glanced out at the stars in the sky. "Do you think I'm a good mom?"

He chuckled, "To be honest, yes I do. I just think you're the type of mom who can't really raise your son on your own."

I nodded in agreement. "I thought so too. I mean Eric only listens to me when he wants to play video games or if he knows I won't give him what he wants."

"Well that'll change. I promise you that Serena…"

"And if it doesn't?" I asked as the wind blew through my hair.

He stared at me for a second as if he was lost in his own thoughts. "Then you can punch me in the face."

I giggled and gave him a hug, "Thanks so much for all of this Mark. I'm really learning a lot from you."

"That's good…because I'm learning a lot from you too." He said.

I smiled at him as the moonlight made his eyes sparkle. "That's so pretty."

"What?" he asked.

"Your eyes…I've never seen them sparkle like that before." I said.

He smirked, "Does it help my looks?"

I giggled loving how he could make a joke about pretty much anything. "You are so crazy."

"Just trying to keep you smiling little lady." He said.

I looked away for a moment and then sighed, "Well, I better get to bed."

"For what?" he asked. "You don't have to work in the morning."

I laughed, "Yeah but you men are going to want breakfast in the morning."

He sighed, "True. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about cooking. I'll need to learn once you and Eric go back home."

I nodded almost forgetting that we didn't really live with Mark. "That's true."

He nodded and then gave me one more hug. "Goodnight sweetie."

"Goodnight,"

He watched me walk into the house before coming in behind me. I went all the way upstairs and climbed in the bed feeling more than ready to wake up the next morning.


	9. Chapter 9

**Readers: **This will be updated tonight. Get ready for a surprise.

**Ch 8**

The next few days were full of nothing but smiles. Mark and Eric seemed to be growing closer with each lesson taught while I grew more confident as a mom. I no longer felt the stinging pain from Andre's death and I could see that Mark was feeling a lot better about his loss. The more time we spent with each other, the closer I felt with him.

"Hey mom, do you like being a caterer?" Eric asked me.

He, Mark and I were taking a walk in a park located downtown. The sun was setting in the distance giving the entire area a warm glow.

Mark chuckled, "No wonder you're a great cook."

I giggled and flipped my freshly curled hair. "I've always known how to cook, even when I lived with my parents."

"And do you like it?" he asked with a glance at Eric.

I gave it some thought, "It gets the bills paid and helps me take care of this little rug rat."

"Hey!" Eric said.

I giggled and wrapped my arm around his shoulder, "I'm only kidding sweetie."

He laughed and wrapped his arm around my waist. "I know mom,"

Mark sighed, "So tell me Eric, what are you planning to do when you go back to school next week?"

Eric stopped walking, "I have to go back to school already?"

"You sure do," I said.

His face completely changed, "Oh…well I was hoping we could stay here."

I raised my eyebrow at him, "What?"

"I like it here mom. I mean we're still in the same state and I like hanging out with Mark." He said.

I was somewhat speechless. "Oh…well Eric that sounds good and all, but I can't really afford for us to move right now."

He sighed, "Aw man."

Mark stepped up and bent down in front of him, "Hey man, I think your mom is right. I think it's about time for you two to go home and test out everything I taught you."

"Will you visit?" he asked.

He nodded, "Any time I can man, I promise."

Eric smiled and hugged Mark. I couldn't contain the sudden urge to smile brightly at the sight. This was the happiest I had seen Eric in a long time and it warmed my heart.

When we got back from the park, I stood on the porch and watched them pass a football back and forth. Eric was laughing so much that I soon began to giggle with him. Later on, Mark came in the house and I took my time teaching him how to make spaghetti with meatballs. At one point we both reached for the mixing spoon and his hand landed on top of mine. We looked at each other for a moment before I gently slid my hand from under his. He licked his lips and fought off a smile as I walked away to start the dessert.

That night, we enjoyed our dinner in the living room where we talked to Eric more about his new attitude and his future. The entire time we were talking all I could think about was what Eric was saying earlier. I was starting to notice how happy he seemed here and being around Mark really seemed to help him open up about things. He was sitting there telling us how he was planning on getting better grades and wanted to go to college to play football.

"Do you know which college you want to go to?" Mark asked.

Eric shrugged, "I was thinking the University of Texas or maybe even leaving the state."

I raised my eyebrow, "I didn't think you would want to leave the state."

"Oh I do mom. I've always wanted to see other places." He said before taking a bite of his spaghetti.

"Why haven't you told me?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Well you were always busy working. I didn't think we'd have time for vacations."

I frowned and looked at Mark who smirked, "Well you could call this a vacation."

Eric laughed, "True, I feel like a new kid again. Thanks to you Mark."

"Well that's good. Just make sure you stay good for your mom." He said.

I glanced down at my lap trying to find a way to thank Mark for all of his help but I didn't know how.

When the day came for us to leave I found it so hard to say good-bye to him. "Will you call?"

He nodded, "Everyday if I have to."

I smiled and hugged him tightly, "Thank you so much Mark…you've done so much for us."

"You did a lot for me too baby girl and for that, I promise to always be in your life."

"Good, because I can't really see myself without you in our lives." I said.

"Same."

After one last hug the two of us got in my car and headed for home. I was sure going to miss Mark and I hoped that things wouldn't go haywire without him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Readers: **get ready for craziness….let me know if you would like an update tonight!

**Ch 9**

"Eric! Don't forget your books for class!" I yelled as my son hurried down the steps.

"Aw man!" he said before running back up the steps to get his book bag out of his room.

I shook my head as I finished washing the dishes. We had been home now for a month and things were pretty normal between Eric and I. He came home on time every day, did his chores along with his homework, and then we had dinner. Sometimes we even had movie nights and took walks around town. At night once he was in bed, I would get a call from Mark. It was real nice chatting with him about things. Sometimes after talking to him, I would get a call from Rachel who always made sure to make me laugh. Things seemed pretty good….up until a week later.

The day after Eric's 14th birthday, he came into the house looking rather angry about something. I sat up on the couch as he walked into the room and took a seat on the chair.

"Is everything ok?" I asked him.

He sighed heavily, "Yeah I'm fine."

"No you're not, I can tell." I said as I closed my book and sat it down on the table. "What's the matter?"

He glared at me with the eyes I thought I'd never see again. The very look that use to bring tears to my eyes…

He stood up with his fists clenched and a crazy look on his face. I couldn't tell what was on his mind but I knew something wasn't right about him. His face was sweating, his skin was red, and his eyes were glassy. He reminded me of what his father looked like when he was drunk.

"Eric…have you been drinking?" I asked. "Don't you lie to me young man."

He sniffed, "Yeah so what if I have? There's nothing you can do about it."

I narrowed my eyes at him and went to stand up but he stepped forward and pushed me back down on the couch. I was so shocked by this that I instantly felt weak on the inside. My own child had really just put his hands on me. Part of me wanted to get up and push him back, but I didn't want to hurt him.

"Have you lost your mind?" I snapped.

He shook his head, "No, for once I'm thinking clearly now…."

I shook my head and sat up, "Eric what's going on with you?"

He started laughing and began walking towards the kitchen. I got up and followed him, watching as he stumbled through the hall. He leaned over the table while I stood next to a window behind him.

"Eric…I thought you weren't going to do stuff like this anymore…" I said. "We had an agreement."

He started laughing hysterically, not once turning around to look at me. "We never had an agreement mom…I told you I didn't want to go to that camp and you forced me to go like you run my life or something."

"Um excuse me young man, but as your mother I do run your life until you're old enough to run it yourself….now what in the world is all this?"

He sighed and looked over his shoulder at me, "You really thought I was going to change…what an idiot."

I folded my arms as he turned around and approached me.

"You thought that a big time drill sergeant could do something with me and I fooled you both. I knew that pretending to be better would eventually get me back home and it did."

I gasped, "You weren't serious about being different? How could you!"

"No how could _you_ mom! How dare you take me to that place and let that guy bully me around like a little child!"

I shook my head and backed up from him, "What are you talking about Eric?"

He growled and grabbed my arms, scaring me half to death.

"Eric…get your hands off of me!" I said. "You're not yourself right now so please back off."

His grip became tighter as he glared into my eyes. "Do not tell me what to do you whore!"

"I'm not a whore, I'm your mother…now get off of me now before you regret it!"

He started laughing, "You've never hit me before…what makes you think that'll happen now?"

I narrowed my eyes and shoved him off of me. He backed up until he hit the table and then ran forward with his hands outstretched. I didn't have enough time to react before his hands landed on my chest, shoving me backwards. I ended up losing my footing and before I knew it…CRASH!

I landed on the back of my head, hitting a rock as glass landed all around me. The alarm for the house began ringing loudly as I lost consciousness in the yard. I had no idea what had happened to my son or better yet…who he was at that moment.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch 10**

"Oh my God! Is she ok? Serena? Honey I'm right here with you!"

I could hear Leon screaming in my ear as the paramedic's lifted me into an ambulance. They put a face mask on me and started an IV on my right arm before shining a small flashlight into my eyes.

"Her pupils are dilating fine, let's get her to the ER." One of the men said.

I felt Leon grab my hand after opening his phone and calling Rachel. I really hoped that my injuries weren't that bad but from the pain I was feeling, things weren't looking too good. I tried to keep my eyes open while they drove me to the hospital but I found myself slipping in and out of consciousness the entire time.

When we got there, I was rushed into the ER and quickly examined.

"She's got a severe concussion." The doctor told Leon. "We're going to hospitalize her for a few days or so."

He sighed, "Thanks doc."

"No problem," he told him before he had the nurses move me to my own room. They helped me get changed into a gown and put me on some medication to help with the pain. A few moments after, Leon and Rachel came in my room.

"Hey girl…how are you feeling?" Rachel asked.

I sighed, "I'm not sure Rachel. I just can't believe this is happening."

She looked over her shoulder at Leon who pulled out a small notepad. "Serena, if you're up to it, I need to ask you a few questions about the intruder."

I raised my eyebrow, "The intruder? There was no intruder."

He froze for a moment and glanced at Rachel. She looked at me waiting for me to continue.

"Eric did this to me." I said as tears filled my eyes. "My own son pushed me out of a window."

"Shh, shh," Rachel said as she wiped a tear from my eye. "It's alright honey, you don't have to talk about this right now if you don't want to."

I nodded and closed my eyes as the sleep medication kicked in. "Rachel…call Mark…please."

"I will honey, don't worry." She said before I dozed off for the night. I wasn't certain what was going to happen to my son yet but I did know that Mark wouldn't be happy once he heard about this.

When I opened my eyes the next day, the sun was shining through my window, lighting up the place. I felt a little dizzy from the meds, but the pain was still suppressed which was nice. I pressed a button on the side rail so I could adjust my bed into a sitting position. As soon as I did that, I hit the pager button for my nurse. I was hungry as hell and was in need of something to drink too.

As I waited patiently for her arrival, I turned on the TV and was shocked to see my story all over the news.

"Police haven't released a statement on Serena's condition or what may have caused her fall from her kitchen window. For now, they await the chance to question her when she's ready to talk."

I sighed and shut off the TV, knowing that hearing anymore of it would make me cry.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Come in," I said softly.

When the door opened, I was shocked to see Mark carrying in my breakfast instead of the nurse. He smiled at me before sitting the tray down on the bedside table. We locked eyes for a moment before I broke down into tears. He sat down on the bed and gently pulled me into his arms, doing his best to comfort me.

"What did I do wrong Mark?" I asked him through my tears. "I can't believe this is happening."

He didn't say a word, he just rubbed my back and let me cry into his chest. Although I wanted to hear his voice, this was exactly what I needed. I couldn't vent to anyone like I could to him. It was like he understood my pain and wanted to do what he could to ensure I felt better.

Once I finally pulled away from him, he got up and adjusted my bedside table so that it was over my legs. He then sat in a chair and quietly watched me eat my food. I could feel the tension coming off of his body as he sat there thinking. I wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but I already knew the answer to that question. He wanted to teach my son a lesson…a hard lesson. I just wish I knew what that lesson was.

When I was done eating, he helped me take my medicine and then adjusted my bed back down into a laying position. He moved my table and then covered me up, making sure I was nice and comfortable. I looked up into his eyes feeling so disappointed in myself. I took everything he taught me and tossed it out the window. My son was a tyrant again, and I was certain that he was going to remain that way.

"Mark…what's the plan now?" I asked quietly as my meds began to kick in.

He placed a finger on my lips, "I don't want you to worry about that right now. What I want is for you to get rested up because your son is in for one hell of a wakeup call."

I sniffled, "I failed Mark…I failed everything you taught me. I'm not fit to be a mom…"

"Hey you're wrong. I don't want to hear you say that again Serena." He said as he gently touched my face. "That boy has other problems that you or I couldn't solve…but I know how to make sure he doesn't do this shit again."

I wiped a tear from my face, "how?"

"You'll see once you're out of here." He said. "For now get some rest."

I smiled at him, "Thank you for coming back. I was kind of scared that you wouldn't have known about this."

He chuckled, "Are you kidding me? This mess is all over the news baby. I would have found out anyway."

I nodded and then slowly closed my eyes, "Mark…I…"

I didn't finish what I wanted to say before I dozed off. Mark chuckled and gently kissed my forehead before leaving me in peace to sleep. Although he wouldn't admit it, I knew that Mark was beyond pissed about this and my son was about to get a rude awakening.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ch 11**

I stayed in the hospital for several more days trying to heal and make sense of things. Mark stayed by my side everyday making sure I was well taken care of. He was pretty much silent about Eric and his actions although I could see the anger grow in his eyes every time it came on the news.

The day I was released, he decided to take me back to his house in Houston. I didn't really want to go anywhere near my home anyways since the painful memory of Eric pushing me still replayed in my mind.

"Have they found him yet?" I asked him when I got in his house. "I just want to know where he is."

Mark cleared his throat as he helped me into the living room to sit down. He remained silent as he made me all comfortable and turned on the TV.

"Hello? Earth to Mark…do you know where my son is?" I asked.

Mark glanced at me with a blank stare before walking out of the room and into the kitchen. I raised my eyebrow, wondering what was on his mind. When he returned, he handed me a glass of orange juice and then sat down on the end of the couch. I watched him as he opened a can of beer and then drank it down like a shot. He then sat the can down and looked at me with glassy eyes, "I'm not completely sure how to tell you this, but I went out to find Eric last night before I came back to the hospital."

"Did you find him?" I asked before taking a sip of the fresh juice.

He nodded, "I sure did…and I gave him the worse beating you could imagine."

I gasped and sat my glass down on the table. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It's simple, I saw him hanging with that Jack brat and I asked him to step over and talk to me. He refused, so I grabbed him by his shirt and yanked him over to my car. When I got there he tried to swing on me so I hit him in the face and slammed him on the ground."

I placed my hand on my chest, "Mark…that was too much."

"No it wasn't Serena, your 14 year old son put his damn hands on you! He deserved every hit I landed on his body."

I shook my head, "Did you kill him?"

He laughed, "No. I took him to a place where he would learn his lesson the hard way."

"Which is?"

He glanced at me and then dropped his gaze. I thought about where he could have taken my son and then gasped. "Mark no! Please tell me you didn't! he's too young to be in jail!"

Mark chuckled, "He isn't too young for their youth program. I let the prison guards know exactly how he's been acting and they agreed to put him in jail for two weeks."

I narrowed my eyes not believing that he actually beat my son and then threw him in jail where the real criminals were. I threw my covers off of my legs and went to get up but my balance was still off due to the concussion I suffered. Mark quickly got up with me and caught me before I could fall. I started hitting him wildly as tears fell from my eyes.

"Mark he wasn't himself! How could you do that to him!" I cried.

He narrowed his eyes and grabbed my wrists. "Serena…the boy needs to be taught a lesson. It's a lesson I couldn't teach him and neither could you…."

I sniffled and then leaned my head against his chest. As I cried for my son, he embraced me and then guided me back to the couch.

"Serena…this is something that needed to be done. I know you're angry with me, but believe me when I say, that it was just as hard for me to take him there as it was for me to beat him. He needs to be shown what life is like without you or me, or any other family members around. No friends, no money, no kind of outside contact."

I sniffled and wiped my eyes, "How long until I can see him?"

"One week. But if he hasn't made any improvement by then they will keep him an extra week."

I gasped, "So they could end up keeping him for three weeks instead of two?"

He nodded, "I'm afraid so."

I shook my head, "I can't believe this is happening…I could kill you for this right now!"

"Do what you must, but I guarantee you that he'll be a changed young man once he comes out of there…trust me." He said.

I sighed and picked up my orange juice, pouring it down my throat quickly. I then laid down on the couch without another word to him about the situation. I was so pissed by his actions but I knew he was trying to help my son. The question is, will this actually help him or make him hate me more? I didn't know, but in two weeks I would find out.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ch 12**

I spent the next few days trying to get myself back on track with life. Mark had paid my bills up to six months, giving me plenty of time off from work. I kept in touch with Rachel who informed me of my son's condition through Leon. She told me that Mark hadn't broken any of Eric's bones but he did leave some bruises on his back.

"Girl I'm surprised he didn't kill him." She said. "That man is very serious when it comes to discipline."

I sighed, "Yeah he is…I just wish I were a little more open to his teaching skills. I hate seeing Eric go through torment."

"I understand that girl, but let's be honest. Your son needed this and Mark only did it because he knew you wouldn't."

I looked out into the yard and saw Mark running through the field. My eyes were instantly transfixed on his masculine physique as his arms pumped up those muscles. I didn't get it. How could a man be so damn sexy but have an attitude like his? I wondered how his wife put up with him…

"Serena? Are you there?" she asked.

I shook myself back to reality, "Huh? Oh yea I'm here."

"Look girl you know I love you and Eric but I have to agree with Mark on this. You and Eric need time apart so that he can see what it's like to be without you and stuck in a place that only you can get him out of. And you…well…you just need a man to get between those legs…"

I gasped, "Rachel!"

She started laughing, "What? Girl seriously, I know you don't think that sex will help with anything, but trust me, it'll make your mood ten times better."

I started laughing as I walked away from the window and sat down on the couch, "Rachel talking to you makes my mood better because you say silly stuff like that."

"This is true, but have you seen what Mark is packing? I mean I didn't mean to look when I met the man but honey…I couldn't help myself."

I shook my head as I tossed my head back and laughed, "You're so silly!"

"No I'm a woman…." She said as her Mexican accent began to come out. "And I'm trying to help my girl out."

I giggled, "I know you are but don't you think I need more than just sex?"

"Of course I do, but that is the main thing…an intimate connection with a man." She said. "Mark seems to really care about you and Eric. You can't tell me you haven't given him a thought."

I lifted my head from the back of the couch and stared at the TV. "You know what…I really haven't. I mean I notice good attributes that he has with my son, but I never really thought about there being something between he and I"

"Well you better get on it girl. Mark may seem like a real tough customer, but maybe that's what you and your son need in order to become close. When you two came home from Houston you seemed so much happier but at the same time…"

I closed my eyes, "…it looked like something was missing."

"Exactly." She said. "Give him a chance girl he means you well I know it."

I smiled and glanced towards the window. He was still running around so I figured I could go out there and join him.

"Ok Rachel, I'll try." I said. "Call me later."

"Ok girl." She said with excitement in her voice. "I want details!"

I laughed as I shut my phone closed and then got up to go change. I put on some black shorts and a red sports bra. I then quickly tied up my hair, put on lotion and my shoes, before heading outside. Mark was just running around the house when I stepped on the porch. I smiled and went to run after him.

He didn't notice me until he went to turn around and saw me running towards him. He stopped and put his hands on his hips, letting the sun shine all over his glistening chest and abs.

"What are you doing out here? You should be resting." He said.

I shrugged, "My head isn't hurting so I figured I'd come out here and run with you."

He smirked a little, "Are you sure you're up to it?"

I put my hands on my hips, "I'm out here aren't I? So let's go…Sergeant."

He chuckled and then licked his lips. "Alright, let's go…maggot."

I gasped before he took off running down a trail. I followed him quickly, putting my old track and field skills to the test. He glanced over his shoulder several times, looking shocked at how well I was able to keep up.

"Not bad," he said as he slowed down to a jog. "Where did you learn to run like that?"

"High school, my track coach was one of the best in our area." I said.

He nodded and then slowed down to a walk. I slowed down with him giving myself a chance to catch my breath.

"You know…red sure is my favorite color." He said.

I raised my eyebrow, "Is that right?"

"Sure is…" he said before slapping my ass and taking off.

I was so appalled by his actions that I chased him down and hopped on his back. He held onto my legs and kept running, taking me all around the yard. Birds that were hidden in the grass all flew up in the air as he ran past them. It was such a beautiful sight to see and it brought a smile to my face.

When we reached the front of the house again he let me down and then walked me into the house. He grabbed a few bottles of water and asked me to come downstairs in his gym. It was real nice to see this gentler side of him. It always made me feel more comfortable to be in his presence.

"Wow, where did you get all of this stuff?" I asked as I started up the treadmill.

He laughed as he grabbed two towels from a small locker near the door. "I brought them from a place in downtown Houston. It's normally where I come to relieve stress."

I nodded as the machine started me off with a slow walk. He walked over to me and placed one towel on the machine. He then laid the other on the bench press that was next to me and sat down. I glanced at him as he began taping his hands up.

"What's that for?" I asked.

He looked up at me, "Oh I put tape on my hands so my skin doesn't get irritated while lifting the bar."

"Oh." I said before beginning to jog.

He watched me with a smirk on his face before laying down under the bar. I watched as he opened his strong legs, getting them in place so he could lift the bar. I tried not to bite my bottom lip but of course my body felt the need to betray me.

After jogging for a little while, I decided to go upstairs for a shower. I hated being sweaty and sticky after working out for awhile. As I was getting my pajamas out for the night, I heard Mark yell up the steps, "Hey! Where'd you go?"

I giggled, "I'm in my room!"

"Oh…well don't cook tonight! I want to take you out!" he said as he came up the steps.

I blushed thinking about the last time I went on a date with someone. It ended in disaster but only because the guy wanted nothing more than to be friends with benefits…and I wasn't that type of girl.

"Um ok, what should I wear?" I asked.

He smiled and gently pushed open my door. I turned around and saw him holding a beautiful maroon colored dress that was strapless and had little sliver flowers glittering all over the bodice portion of it. I gasped and picked up a part of the long flowing skirt part of it.

"Are we going to a castle?" I asked.

He laughed, "No. There's a musical in town and I figured you'd want to go there instead of us being in the house all night."

I smiled at him and then gently took the dress. "You caught me just in time. I was just about to shower."

"Ok good. I'll meet you in the living room in about an hour ok?" he asked.

I nodded and watched as he left my room. I could feel it in the air that something about this night was going to be different…or even special.


	14. Chapter 14

**Readers: **I'm expecting some good reviews =) Hope you enjoy it =)

**Ch 13**

It felt different putting on a really fancy dress that night. I looked into the mirror as I smoothed the dress over my body, admiring how well it fit me. I curled my hair and put on some make-up to bring out the sparkle in my eyes. I then slipped on a pair of silver heels that had a clear heel and diamonds criss-crossing on my feet. I sprayed a little perfume and then headed downstairs to join Mark.

I found myself feeling nervous as I made my way down the hall and then descended the steps. Mark was waiting for me as planned in the living room. He was facing the mantle when I peeked my head around the corner. I smirked as I took in his new look. He was dressed in a light blue dress shirt underneath a black dress jacket with some black dress pants and shiny black shoes. His facial hair was all shaved off showing off more of that sexy face. I smiled and entered the room, instantly catching his attention.

His eyes traveled all over my body as a soft smile formed on his face. I blushed and dropped my gaze from him.

"So…what do you think?" I asked.

He walked up to me and took my hands into his own, "I think you look beautiful."

I smirked and looked up at him as the sweet smell of his cologne filled my nose, "Thanks, you look handsome."

He chuckled, "Thank you very much."

I giggled as he hooked my arm with his and walked me out to his car. I was caught off guard to see a limo waiting for us in front of his house. He smiled down at me, "I like to ride in style."

I giggled and squeezed his arm, "Well I'm not complaining. I've never been in a limo before."

He raised his eyebrow, "Really? Not even for your prom?"

I laughed, "I couldn't go to my prom…that was the same night Andre got killed."

He stopped by the limo and sighed, "Oh shit, I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "No it's ok. I'm actually feeling a lot better about him being gone."

He opened the door for me and then asked, "What helped you feel better about it?"

I looked into his eyes with a smile on my face. There was so much warmth behind those green orbs. "Getting to know you."

He nodded as I slid into the limo. He got in behind me, shutting the door before sitting down next to me. I couldn't help but move up next to him as he rested his arm behind me.

"I feel the same way about you." He said as the limo slowly pulled out of the driveway. "I never really thought I'd be able to get over my wife's death until I met you."

I smiled and looked down at my lap. "Well I'm glad we met then."

"Me too." He said as he rubbed my arm.

We reached the theatre 15 minutes later. There were so many people standing outside all dressed up and ready to see the musical. I sighed inwardly wondering how long it would take us to get seated but Mark rubbed my arm and assured me that we'd be in there way before everyone else.

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

He glanced out the window as the limo came to a stop in front of a red carpet. "Serena, there is one more secret I've got to tell you."

I braced myself for this secret thinking it would be something crazy.

"I wasn't just a drill Sergeant…I'm currently a WWE superstar." He said.

My eyes widened, "You're a wrestler?"

"Yes ma'am." He said.

I smiled at him before the door was opened for us. Millions of cameras flashed in our eyes as he got out and then turned and helped me out of the limo. He hooked my arm with his own as we slowly made our way up the red carpet. I kept hearing reports referring to him as the Undertaker, or the Phenom of the WWE.

"Mr. Calaway! How long have you been interested in musicals?" One reporter asked.

"Is this your new wife?" another asked.

I giggled at some of the questions, but Mark simply responded, "No comment."

"Why didn't you talk to any of them?" I asked once we were inside. "I wouldn't of minded."

He smiled at me before handing the tickets over to the door handler. "I want tonight to be something special between us Serena. I don't have time for reporters."

I nodded as he took my hand and walked me into the seating area. We were in the second row up front, sitting next to some people I really didn't know. One guy was just as tall as Mark and had the strangest face I'd ever seen. Mark introduced him to me as Glenn, his best friend.

I went to shake his hand and he gently kissed mine. "It's very nice to meet you Serena."

Mark glared at him, "You better watch those lips."

Glenn laughed as he took a seat next to Mark. I folded my arms as chills ran through my body. "It's really cold in here."

Mark nodded, "Yes it is, here take this,"

He took off his jacket and gently placed it around my shoulders. It was really warm from his body heat making me melt into it almost instantly. Once everyone was seated the musical began. It was about a mother and her child who embarked on a journey together and ended up losing each other during it. The entire time, the mother was doing all she could to find her little girl and bring her back to her, but the little girl was pretty much content with where she was. In the middle of the journey, they actually run into each other, but instead of the girl going back to her mother, she runs off again. Finally something happens that made her change her mind about leaving her mother.

I watched it intently, loving all the actors and actresses voices and the way they moved on stage. The story reminded me a lot of the journey I was on and how my own son constantly ran from me to do his own thing. Tears were building in my eyes but I did all I could to fight them off. Mark glanced at me a few times, but I pretended not to notice. A soft smirk formed on his face as he watched my little reactions to things. He ended up sliding his hand into mine, gently squeezing it. I wondered if he brought me to this play simply because this is what my life was like. If he did…then I'd thank him a lot. When it was over, I couldn't help but cry at the happy ending. It was very well played out and really helped bring new emotions out of me.

"Did you enjoy it?" Mark asked as we headed back to the limo.

I nodded as I wiped tears from my eyes. "I sure did…it reminded me of me and Eric."

He nodded, "Yeah I was thinking that too."

"Did you know it was like that before you bought the tickets?" I asked.

He shook his head, "No. I only bought them because Eric confided in me that you loved musicals."

I smiled, "He knew that about me?"

"Yes he did." He answered as we walked outside. "Your son knows you more than you think. He just needs a little extra help from people who don't really know him, but have already gone through what he went through."

"Do you think he'll be different by time I visit him?" I asked.

He stopped walking and looked me deep in the eyes. "That's for you to determine Serena but you must promise yourself that you won't bring him out if he isn't truly ready. I know having him there is hard…but you must do this for yourself and him."

I nodded and fought back tears as we got into the limo. I couldn't imagine looking my son in the face and telling him he couldn't come home. It seemed like such a big punishment…

"Mark…if I'm not able to make that decision…will you make it for me?" I asked.

He looked at me blankly and then gently placed his hand on the side of my face. I looked up at him as a tear slipped from my face.

"If you can't make the decision, they will." He said.

I didn't like those words at all but I knew Mark was telling the truth. I sighed and laid my head against him. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Me too honey, me too."

Before heading home, we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant that I absolutely loved. Mark kept cracking jokes and doing what he could to make the waiter feel uncomfortable. By the time we left that place, I was laughing up a storm.

"Mark that was so mean! That boy probably thinks you really have supernatural powers!" I giggled as we walked into the house.

He laughed, "Yeah, well he shouldn't have came off as a sweetheart…I hate men like that!"

I laughed and leaned against the wall so I could take off my heels. He watched me from the entrance of the living room, "So overall, did you have a good time?"

I looked up from unbuckling my shoe and nodded, "I sure did. Thank you so much. I really need it."

"You're welcome." He said before yawning.

Once I got my shoes off, I started to feel a little dizzy. I pushed myself up from the wall and nearly toppled over but Mark caught me.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's alright, you're probably still feeling a little dizzy from the concussion." He said.

"Damn, was it that bad?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Not as bad as the doctor made it seem. You certainly got through the day without a problem."

"True." I said before raking my hand through my hair and backing up from him. "Well…I better get to bed."

He nodded and began following me upstairs, "Yeah me too."

Everything in me was doing its best to not turn around and jump into his arms but my mind was basically screaming for me to do it. It was obvious that we both needed and wanted each other, but what was holding us back?

I went up to my door and looked over my shoulder at him. He smiled and leaned against the wall next to me. We looked at each other for a moment before he whispered, "You know…it really sucks sleeping in that large bed by myself."

I bit my bottom lip and glanced away for a moment. He then gently tugged my arm and spun me around until my back was against the door.

"Mark what are you doing?" I asked.

He sighed, "Something I should have done a long time ago."

I was about to protest but he brought his lips down to mine almost suddenly. I didn't even bother to fight him as his lips parted mine and our tongues danced together as one. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he pressed me against the door, deepening our kiss.

He then lifted me into his arms and carried me down to his room. He sat me down on my feet upon getting there, kissing me with so much emotion and power. As we kissed, he reached behind me and unzipped my dress. I followed his lead and began unbuttoning his shirt. My dress slid from my body and hit the ground before he began backing me up towards his humungous bed He kicked off his shoes while kissing my lips, making sure to keep control of me. I sat down on the edge of the bed, breaking our kiss in order to go to work on his pants. He pulled off his shirt while I unbuckled his belt and then unzipped his pants. I glanced up at him as my mouth watered, wanting to taste him so bad.

He watched me as I pulled down his pants and boxers. My body became turned on by the sight of his enormous penis. I gently grasped it with my hand and began stroking it slowly. He closed his eyes and moaned as if he'd been waiting on this for a real long time.

I licked my lips before putting half of his dick in my mouth and letting my tongue glide over the tip. He moaned a little louder this time and gently placed his hands on my head. I let him take control as he started moving my head back and forth, allowing me to taste his sweet cock. I loved the feeling of it sliding in and out of my mouth while he moaned hungrily.

"_Yeah baby, suck that shit," _he whispered before moving me a little faster. I thought I was going to choke at first but he ended up stopping just before I could. "Lay back so I can take off those panties."

I giggled and laid back, letting him pull off my panties. He rubbed and kissed my legs as he dropped down to his knees and then spread my legs. I placed the tip of my finger in my mouth, biting it as he parted my pussy lips and then ran his tongue all over it. I gasped as my body completely filled with pure pleasure. I small moan left my mouth as he began moving his warmth all over my clit, getting the juices flowing. I reached between my legs as I moaned and rubbed the top of his head letting him know not to stop. He held my legs wide open and then slid his tongue up inside of me. My body began to shake as I arched my back and squeezed the sheets. I felt my nipples hardening and my skin becoming warm to the touch.

"_Oh my God…" _I moaned as he started sliding back and forth in my wet hole. My toes curled as he licked me down up until the point where I was ready to come. Before that happened he stopped and grabbed my thighs and then slid his dick inside of me. I moaned a lot louder as his hot member filled me up. I tried to wrap my legs around his waist but he held my thighs in a perfect position.

Once he was all the way in, he began pumping his hips back and forth, gently letting his body smack against mine. I grabbed my breasts as my body vibrated from his motions. God he was incredible, and he wasn't even going that fast. I kept my eyes on his as he moved my legs up onto his shoulders and kept it going.

My eyes rolled to the back of my head as my body was pleasured endlessly. He then stopped and moved me up onto the pillows so I could rest my head. He got positioned over me and kissed me deeply while sliding his dick back inside of me. I moved my hands under his arms and rested them on his back, digging into his skin when he began to pick up speed. I closed my eyes and tossed my head back into the pillows, moaning loudly as he fucked me. The temperature our bodies were creating had us both sweating within seconds. I couldn't even begin to explain how intense this moment was between us.

We rolled all over that bed, moving into all kind of positions that drove me completely wild. My favorite position of all had to be when I laid on my side and lifted my leg up so he could slide his dick back inside of me. He was pumping inside of me so fast that his balls were smacking the shit out of my pussy.

"_Oooh fuck me Mark!" _I screamed, "_Oh shit that feels so good baby!" _

He hovered over me and then kissed me roughly, _"You like this dick don't you?"_

I nodded as my climax built. He quickly stopped and moved me onto my back so he could finish me off. He had me hold onto my legs, keeping them nice and wide before he screwed me silly. His headboard was hitting the wall, matching my screams of pleasure. He pressed his forehead against mine, both us moaning until we got our release. I sighed with exhaustion as I released my legs and let them wrap around his waist.

He wiggled his nose against mine before kissing me softly and whispering, "I love you Serena."

I opened my eyes and looked into his own, "I love you too…Mark Calaway."

He laughed and kissed me again, ending our night of passion.


	15. Chapter 15

**Ch 14**

Mark and I spent those next few days getting me prepared for the prison visit. I was so worried about what to expect that I found myself taking shots of alcohol just to stay calm. That afternoon of the visit I was up pacing around the room while pulling my hair back into a ponytail. Mark was sitting on the bed watching me as he pulled his boots on his feet. After a few minutes he stood up and approached me, stopping me mid-stride.

"It's going to be alright you know." He said. "I'm going to be right there with you."

I sighed and raked my hand through my hair, "I know but I just feel like something is going to go wrong. I don't know what it is, but something doesn't feel right about today."

He smiled and pulled me close to his body, "You're only saying that because you never wanted to go through with something like this and that is part of the problem with how you raised Eric."

I raised my eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Serena, when a parent tries to keep a child away from bad things, they usually get curious and want to know why."

I nodded, "And then they go out and do the very thing you were trying to avoid."

He chuckled, "You learn fast…"

I sighed, "Look, I'm real scared of him fooling us again."

"You already know what that was like Serena…and this time you're not alone." He said as he cupped my head in his hands. "I love you, and I won't let your son take advantage of your kindness again."

I smiled and kissed his lips softly. My arms snaked around his neck as he began backing me up towards the wall. I was about ready to pull my clothes off when I remembered that we were about to leave.

"Mark we can't!" I said as I giggled. "Maybe later on tonight."

He sighed, "You're right…come on let's go."

I took his hand and let him lead me out of the house and to the car. I was pretty much silent on the way there, letting the breeze blow through my hair. Mark put on his sunglasses and held my hand as he drove us to the outskirts of town. The prison itself made me tense up upon seeing it. I squeezed Mark's hand as he drove us past the prison gates and up to the tall grey building itself. It was surrounded by barbed wire and had prison guards at every corner.

"This really is a God forsaken place…" I said.

Mark nodded, "Yes, and I'm sure it's not a place where Eric wants to end up."

I nodded as Mark parked the truck. I spotted a guard leading a line of prisoners outside to do a few laps. I sort of felt bad seeing them run in that hot sun while wearing those orange jump suits.

Mark came around to my side and took my hand. "Are you ready?"

I took a deep breath and glanced once more at the prisoners. "Yes."

He guided me into the place, walking me to the visitors room so I could sign in. I looked around at all the other people in the room and they appeared to be as old as I was. I figured they too were here to see their children. I wondered how long their kids had been in there and if any of them had to go through this before. Mark and I took a seat next to each other, still holding hands. I loved how supportive he was of me and how well he was doing with my son. I wished I was a stronger mother, but at this point, I didn't think I could get any stronger.

"Serena and Mark?"

I glanced up after what seemed like forever, and saw a female prison guard looking at me with a blank stare. I stood up with Mark before following the woman into the back room. This was it…the moment of truth. I wasn't certain of what to expect but I knew this was going to be quite the experience.

"Your son will be right here," she said as she stopped in front of the fifth booth. "You'll have five minutes to speak with him."

I nodded before taking a seat next to Mark. He rubbed my back as I took a deep breath, waiting to see my son.

"I don't know if I can do this." I said.

"It's going to be ok." He said. "Just remember, it's just a program."

I nodded just as the door on the other side of the glass opened. A prison guard stepped in at first and then I saw my child. He was dressed in an orange jump suit like the others and his hair was completely ruffled. His face wore scratches and seemed flushed as if he had been crying for days. He took a seat in the chair and grabbed the phone almost out of desperation. I grabbed the one on my end and put it to my ear.

"Hey baby," I said.

He sniffled, "Hey mom."

"How are you?" I asked as tears filled my eyes.

He shook his head and tears began to fall from his eyes, "I hate it here mom…I'm ready to come home."

I glanced at Mark and then looked back into the eyes of my child. I could tell he was truly scared and didn't want to be in a place like this.

"I'm really sorry for everything. I didn't mean to hurt you like I did I swear." He said. "I'll do better…so much better."

I sighed, "And how do I know you're not lying to me like you did before?"

He cried harder, nearly breaking my heart. "B-because…I don't want to end up here. I know that I need you in order to survive out in the real world and I'm sorry I ruined things."

I smiled slightly and nodded, "Ok honey."

He lifted his hand and pressed it against the glass. A tear fell from my eye as I lifted my own hand and pressed it right over his hand.

"I love you mom."

"And I love you." I said.

He then glanced at Mark and sniffled, "Thank you for this Mark. I really needed it."

Mark nodded, "You're welcome. Now let's get him out of there so I can beat him in some video games."

We all giggled before hanging up the phone. I nodded at the prison guard, giving them the go ahead to release my son. I felt so much better once I went through that. It was as if my son actually tasted how horrible his life could be if he stayed on the path he was on.

He ran into my arms once he was released, crying his eyes out while squeezing me. In that moment I didn't even feel like crying. I was so happy to see the change in him that I finally felt stronger than I use to be. He then pulled away from me and hugged Mark, who actually started crying himself.

"I'm sorry I had to do that to you man…but I had to." He said.

Eric nodded, "It's ok, I feel like a new kid."

I smiled at the two of them and then decided, "Let's go home. I think Eric is entitled to a good dinner don't you?"

"Definitely," Mark said. "I'm sure your mom can cook you up something that's better than prison food."

Eric laughed, "I'll race you to the car."

"You're on." Mark said before taking off with my son.

**Six Months Later**

"Hey! That was cheating!" Eric yelled at Mark.

The two of them were playing Marco polo in the pool and Mark opened his eyes to find my son. I walked outside with some lemonade for them, catching their attention immediately. Things had been so much better since Eric's prison visit. He was a straight A student, he played football for his school, and we had a much better relationship with each other. He was extremely happy to know that Mark and I were now together and were planning on getting married.

He ran up to me after he hopped out of the pool and placed his hand on my belly which had been growing for six full months now. "Please be a boy…please be a boy…"

I giggled, "Eric, you don't want a little sister?"

He rolled his eyes, "I do, but I personally want you to have a boy so I can teach him how to play football."

Mark rubbed Eric's head with a smile, "Well your mom is keeping the gender a secret, but I think you might be getting a sister."

Eric sighed, "Aw man, well I guess having a sister wouldn't be that bad."

I laughed and then rubbed my belly, loving the sight of my new family. In some ways I guess you can say I was glad that Eric broke into his house…because I would have never met a man as great as him.


End file.
